GainingEdge has released its latest edition of ‘knowledge bytes’ in conjunction with Meetings Africa scheduled for 28 Feb – 1 March 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. In this edition Bruce Redor, Partner for Europe, Middle East and Africa, focuses on business events and Africa’s economic development.

GainingEdge has considerable experience in the African continent, working with both convention bureaus and/or convention centre developers in Nairobi, Abuja, and Zimbabwe, and in South Africa with Gauteng, Johannesburg, Northern Cape Province, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. GainingEdge was the consultant for South Africa Tourism on the organizational structure of its national convention bureau – the South Africa National Convention Bureau – and development of its Mega Events Strategy. GainingEdge also provides representation services in South Africa’s key markets – Europe, China and India. At the upcoming Meetings Africa 2017 in Johannesburg, GainingEdge assisted the organisers by pre-qualifying their list of potential hosted buyers.

Additionally, Gary Grimmer CEO of GainingEdge and Gregg Talley, FASAE, CAE President and CEO of Talley Management Group, Inc, provided pro-bono startup advice and support to the newly formed Africa Society of Association Executives (AfSAE) which launched in February 2016.

Grimmer explained why AfSAE is important: “Developing economies need stronger association communities because civil societies are vitally important for professional development and professional development is transformative economically and socially. With stronger association communities, they can then connect better to global knowledge networks and develop stronger global trade and intellectual engagement. Finally, having more regional associations will engender more meetings and help to build their business events industries.” AfSAE’s establishment committee has representatives from Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zambia, and covers a wide variety of industries.

While at Meetings Africa this year, Grimmer will attend the AfSAE Board meeting and also moderate two panels – the first on growing the African association market and another on how associations manage bids for hosting their congresses.